Thursday, August 29, 2013

Chance of a '15 year' time. 'Do not miss your chance to blow'

Club, I have some pretty cool news. News that I have been talking about for about 15 years now that I wasn't sure would ever happen. It's happening!

When someone like you or I watch the Tour de France we know those cyclists rock the free world. We know they are fantastic athletes and we probably couldn't even keep up in a flat stage in the peloton during the neutral portion at the beginning of the race. But when I watch I always wonder HOW much better they are. Now with the internet and power meters it is easier to get a better idea, but there is no direct comparison. I have always said that during the Olympic track events (running track) it would be really cool to have an excellent Provincial level or even National level runner competing in the 5km, 10km, and marathon with the Professionals. Someone who's bio you know and you think is awesome. Locally, if someone like Brad Bickley pulls off a 31 - 32min 10km in a local road race you think 'Daaaammmnnn, that is is crazy fast, he had changed his clothes before I even finished?!?!'. Then when the gold medal for the 10km in the Olympics is in the 27:30 range, you think, 'I don't even get it, I don't comprehend that speed'. And that's the truth, it is hard to comprehend the speed difference. You can see the time difference, but it is hard to visualize what that actually looks like. I always thought if someone like Brad started the race with the likes of the Pros and we told Brad, if you can set a PB for yourself we'll give you a ton of cash. Then he is motivated to hammer. Then we could all watch the astounding pace difference as the Pros lap the runner over and over. That would be great TV!! The commentators would be able to say 'Do you understand what is happening here? This runner would win most road races in Alberta overall, and he is getting lapped...repeatedly!!' Then we would get a direct sense of how truly awesome the Pros are.

Well, you guys are about to get that opportunity at this year's Tour of Alberta! Dennis and I have the opportunity to race the Prologue 15 min before the first WorldTour cyclist! It will be a DIRECT comparison. Two decent Alberta Cat2 cyclists you've seen riding around racing the exact same course, with exact same weather, terrain, marshals, fans, EVERYTHING! These Pros will be starting the race fresh, so it isn't like we are racing a TT in the middle of a Grand Tour and the poor guys are tired. They will be extremely motivated as the terrain over the next 5 stages isn't incredibly selective, so the time differences in the Prologue are extremely important.

Over the last 6 or 7 years, the club has always held the 'Downhill tailwind Prologue' before the Tour de France as a fun way of trying to compare. Even with our course being dead straight, predominately downhill, and mostly tailwind sometimes, I am not sure many of us have ever beaten the LAST placed rider's time on a technical, rolly course of the Tour.

I found out about this opportunity about 2 weeks ago and I have been trying desperately to prepare. But that is part of the beauty. We get to directly compare a guy you know against the top of the sport!! What an opportunity!

Personally, my goal will be to not come last place. I know there will be a few racers in the ToA whose Directors have told them to not go 'a bloc' (full on %100) since they are expected to help their leaders in the following stages, however this is the same as the Tour de France and we have still never beat them! There will be a few sub World Tour teams there like Kelly Benefit and SmartStop, so the results will probably be a little more spread out than at a race like the TdF where it is almost all the top of the top. But we will be able to directly compare my time with Sagan and Evans!! AWESOME!!

I am crazy pumped. If you are up in Edmonton to watch, please start watching 6min earlier than you think you should and when you see two STC skinsuit coming at you...cheer like crazy !!! Make a mental note of Dennis' and mine's speed....then be blown away as Sagan and Evans come at you!

I will post my time here as soon as I finish so that while your are watching the actual event live or on TV, you can get a sense for the speed of these Pros!!

2 comments:

That is awesome pedal until your legs can't pedal any more. Until your lungs can't Say no more. And tell them to shut up and keep going. I wont be there but for sure I will be watching you from my couch with a cold beer, guacamole and nachos. Good luck.